Mail-distributing system.



s e. STORER. MML DISTRIBUHNG SYSTEM.

APPLICATION mu) nzc. n. 1914. 1,261,968. I Patented Apr. 9,1918.

2 SHEETS- sm a.

I 5% 5% l I 811011 B. STQRHB, 9F SYRACUSE, NEW YORK.

muL-ms'ramu'rmo srs'rma Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Apr. 9, 1918.

Application filed December i1, 191. Serial No. 578,887.

7 '0 all'mbom. it may concern:

Be it known that I, Smox B. S'mnmz, a citizen of the United States. andresident of Syracuse, in the county of Onondaga, in the State of NewYork, have invented new and useful Improvements in Mail-DistributingSystems, of which the following, taken in connection with theaccompanying drawings, is a full, clear, and exact description.

This invention relates to certain improvements in mail distributingsystems in post offices and other distributing stations where such mailmatter is assorted and deposited in separate compartments for subsequentdelivery over dilferent routes by special carriers.

Under the present system in the larger distributing stations, such ascity post otlices, the mail matter designated for difl'erent routes ofdelivery is assorted and placed by hand into separate compartments ofthe distributing case corresponding to such different routes forsubsequent delivery by the carrier assigned to such routes, each route,carrier and compartment being usually designated by a special number tofacilitate the work of asserting and delivering, but so far as I amaware no provision is made for as certaining with any degree .ofaccuracy the number of-pieces of mail matter distributed,

or relative speedelliciency of-the severaldistributers.

The main object is to associate with each distributing case simpleand'efiicient means for automatically registering the number of piecesof mail matter assorted and distributed by the clerk assigned to thatparticular case, sothat the total number of such pieces-handled by thedistributing station for any predetermined interval' of time may beascertained by adding the totals of registers forv the severaldistributing cases.

Another object is toeuable the inspector to determinant a glance therelative speed efllciency of the several escorting clerks so that therelative merits of such clerks may be properly established. Other 0 actsand uses W111 be brought out in the allowing description.

In the drawingsa r Figure 1 is a diagrammatic new of an electrical maildistributing system showin various features of my invention as use inconnectlon with a. single compartment of the distributing case, notshown.

1 Fig. 2 is a front face view of a distrihutmg case, in this instancehaving a series,

of compartments, and a corresponding number of mail feeding devices,together with the driving motor for said devices and the countermechanism and circuit; breaks for controlling the operation of thecounter mechanism.

Fig. 3 is a transverse vertical sectional new of a portion of thedistributing case and mail feeding mechanisms associated therewith,taken on line 3-3 Fig. 2.-

Fig. 4 is an enlarged horizontal sectional view throu h a portion of themail feeding' devices in e plane of the meeting faces of the feeding rlers, showing more particularly the relative positions of the mailguides and mail operating triggers for actuating the circuit interrupterof the counter operatin circuit.

for the feeding rollers.

Fig. 6 is an enlarged rear elevation of its operating mechanism,-

the counter support, showing a portion of the counter an including. anelectro-magnet instead of the solenoid shown in Fig. 1.

Fig. 7 is an enlarged vertical section of a portion of the supportingframe for the feeding rollers, showing one of the circuit closersorinterrupters of the counter circuit.

The apparatus formingthe subject-matter of my invention is adapted tobeused in ig. 5 is an enlarged detail sectional view through one end ofthe supporting shafts connection with a distributing case -A having oneor more compartments (in this instance 8 arranged in tiers and numbered.zontal shafts --'and -6--, the lower shaft 5 being driven by anysuitable moving power, such us an electric motor .7-, through the mediumof bolts B- 5 and pulleys 9.

The ends of. the upper shaft arc journaled in suitable bearings -10which are movable vertically in openings --1I-- in the upright sides ofthe frame +1- and are 10 spring-pressed downwardly by coil springs -12,so as to yieldingly hold the upper rollers 4- in running contact withthe underlying rollers 3, thereby permitting'mail matter of differentthicknesses to be passed through the feeding devices, the

upper roller -4- being driven by friction with the mail matter while thelatter is beingz fed forwardly by the lower rollers 45.

The shafts -5-- and --6- extend across the front end of all of thecompartments in the particular tier with which they are associated andcarry a series of the feeding devices --2-, one for each compartment.

These shaft devices are preferably driven at a sufliciently high rate ofspeed to prevent the possibility of the pieces of mail matter followingeach other end o end; in

other words, more rapidly than it would be possible for the operator tofeed them to the rollers by hand, t

serving to impel the mail mutter forwardly with'sufiicient momentum todeliver them into the respective pockets.

The several feeding devices for each tier of compartments are preferablylocated in a horizontal plane some distance abovethe bottom of saidcompartments to allow a considerable number of mail matter to be de-'posited into such compartments without interfering with the feedingoperation, and

for this purpose, I have associated with each -feeding device a mailguide -13- lead y from said. feeding device to the corrcspoiid ingcompartments of the distrihrfing case i -tA- with their upper faces it?a plane substantially coincident with that of the meetingfsces of thefeeding rollers, said guides being preforablv carried by lengthwise bnrs-14 onthe frame -1-.

Registering mechanism-5 The'means for registering the number of pieces'of mail matter delivered into the dis-- tributing case ivy-any one ormore of the feeding devices comprises a counter -15-'- of any well knowncommercial type having- :1. rock shaft 16, to which is secured. u

cranksarm l7, the latter being operated?- c evices into the distributingcase by means of a suitable electric device, such as a sole? noid 18,shown in Fig. 1-, or 'an electromagnet 18-- shown in Fig. 6.

is speed of movement also tro-magnet or solenoid to cause the opcrntionof the counter.

.The closing of the switch or interrupter is controlled entirely by theindividual pieces passing along either guide-l3 to the correspondingcompartment of the case A-, and in order that this closing of thecounter circuit may be positive and reliable for each piece of mailmatter, I have provided a series of triggers -21, one for eachcompartment, said triggers being mounted in sets, one set for each tierof compartments upon a rock shaft. .22- which is also journdled intheupright sides of the supporting frame 1 in a plane just abovethat'of. the meeting edges of the feeding rollers -3.-' and -4. of thecorresponding set, so as o allow the mail matter to pass between theshaft and guide in transit to the distribu ting case. a

Each tri r normally rejects throu h an elongatel zlot or openiiig 23- inis corresponding guide 13- and is provided with a forward y projectingshoulder -24- normallyxestin upon the portion of the guide just in avance of the slot 23 to limit its downward movement and to keep thelower edge of the trigger at an acute angle with-the upper face of theguide.

Associated with each' trigger or set of triggors is an upwardlyprojecting arm 25 rigid therewith or with the shaft -22 with its upperend normally in close relation to one of the terminals of the switch-20, such terminal being preferably yielding to'contact with the otherterminal,

and thereby close the. circuit through the electric'devioe for 0 ratingthe counter.

It is now: clear t at as each individual piece of maitinatteris fed byhand to the feeding rollers' "r-3- and 4, the latter will instantlycarry the mail 'matter' forwardly' causing its forward end to ride alongthe upper face-of the guide 13- and against the lower edge of thetrigger --2l-,- thereby lifting s'aid trigger a sufficient distahce toallow the'letter to pass along the guide and into'the correspondingcompartment-pf the distributing case, and

'- nt the same time causing the arm .25 to vsi close the switch'-'-20for energizing the electrical device '-18- to operate the coun- 'ter-15-', the return ofthe spring terminal which is engaged, by itsoperating member serving to ns'sist the weight of the trigposition, thisoperation being regs-"ted as 'gcr 21 to return-the hitter to is normalmenses each piece of mail matter is Qed to the distributing case by anyof tle eedin devices.

'Ihemain object in using t e corresponding compartment of the case -1and therefore, I do not limit myself to the use of mechanical feedingdevices It is also evident that if the counter is to be located on theframe 1 it may be operated by any suitable mechanism capable oftransmitting motion from either rock shaft -22- to the crank-arm -17.

In most instances, hcwever, this counter will be located at a remotedistance from its distributin case out'of the way of the operator and insuch position that it could not be tampered with by unscrupulousemployees;

In other cases, it might be desirable to place the several counters, onefor each dis tributing case, in the ofiice of the 0st master orinspector, and have, there ore, shown a second-counter 15- as operatedbya separate solenoid -18 which is connected in series with the solenoid-18- so that'the individual pieces of mail matter passing through theapparatus into the distributing case and operating thecounter -l5- willalso operate the counter 15, thus permitting the post master orinspector to see at a glance the total amount of mail assorted anddistributed by any one of the assorting clerks at any. time.

As a further check upon the faithfulness and relative speed of operationof the various distributing clerks, I have provided what may be termed agraphic recorder G- of any well known construction, having relativelymovable impression-receiving and impression-making devices, one of whichas a roll of aper -27 is chronometer rotated at a re ativelyslow'vspeed; while the other or marker -28 is electrically operated byany'well known form'of magnet, axially across themoving'she'et 27-.

The electrical devicefo'r" operating the marker 28 is connect'ed'in abranch circuit .-29- having-plug: terminals -30' adapted to be" pluggedinto a normally closed switch 21- consisting of two terminals which arenormally springpressed to her to 'maintain'a 'closed circuit through tesoing roll-- era '3-- and -4-+is to expedite the work,

g case and that all of them will be located at some central. pointremote from the distributing room, as for example, in the post mastersor inspectors ollice It is evident that this graphic recorder may beused independently of the counter mechanism, if necessary or desirable,and that it might be permanently connected in the circuit +19- underwhich conditions, the marker -28" would be shifted vertically one toothspace with each tripping movement of the trigger --21 by the individualpieces of mail matterpassing along the'guide '13 and into thedistributing case.

The operating mechanism for the marker is adjusted so as to mcve themarker 28 a short distance only along the sheet -27-:, at eachoperation, and itis, therefore, evident that if the mail matter is fedinto the machine or distributin case continuously or in quicksuccession, t e line marked upon the sheet -27 will extend in a more orless irregular spiral or stepped diagonal line around the sheet.

On the other hand, if there is no mail matter passing through the deviceit will be indicated on the sheet of the recorder by a straightcircumferential line, and it, therefore, follows that if-a certainamount of mail matter is passed through the device rapidly and then theoperator rests or refrains from work for any considerable period oftime, it will be indicated on the sheet of the recorder by a diagonalline terminating in a straight line which shows at a glance that theoperator has failed to assert mail for the period of time indicated bysuch straight line, and may be asked for an explanation of suchcondition;

It is also apparent that two operators working faithfully side by sideon two different distributing cases may vary. materially in the amountof work accomplished for the same period of time, which also will be'shown upon their respective recorders, in that the line made by therecorder for the employee feeding the greatest amount of mail matterwill appear more generally diagonal than that indicated by the recorderof the other wor-k an, thus permitting the oflicials of the po I ofiiceor other distributing station tolgleitermine the relative Inerits ofboth wor en for'any period or pc riods of time.

The graphic recorder shown'in Fig. 1 is in many respects similar to thatcommonly used in'electrical appliances, as a graphic meter, in whichwhen the marker is raised to a predetermined position automaticallydrops to its starting position so that he device is capable of makingany num er of records for predetermined intervals of time.

Whzit I claim is: 1 rate of delivery of said mail to the compart- 1C Thecombination with a mail-assorters ments collectively. case havingplurality of separate com art- In witness whereof I have hereunto set mymenfs for receiving the assorted mai of hand this 8th day of November,1914. continuously-operating mechanical devices for feeding the assortedmail into corre- SIMON STORER' -sponding compartments, and means con-Witnesses: trolled by the pieces. of mail, while actuated H. E. CHASE,by their feeding devices, for recording the ALICE M. CANNON.

